Material feed device for gyratory crushers



A. J. ROUBAL 2,656,320

MATERIL FEED DEVICE FOR GYRTORY CRUSHERS Patented Oct. 20, 1953 MATERIALFEED DEVICE FOR GYRATORY CRUSHERS Alexander J. Roubal, Milwaukee, Wis.,assignor to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., acorporation of Delaware Application October 10, 1949, Serial No. 120,570

This invention relates to material feed devices, and more specificallyto those devices used in conjunction with material crushing machinessuch as gyratory Crushers and the like. The principal object of theinvention is the provision of new and improved feed devices of thistype.

Heretofore in gyratory crushers, the material distributing means of thematerial feed devices were usually rigidly secured to the main crushershaft. Hence every motion (including axial displacement) of the mainshaft was directly imparted to the distributing means, which wasundesirable.

When the clearance between crusher members was varied by verticallymoving the main shaft to change the size of crushed material, clearancebetween the material distributing means and the material conveying meansrequired a corresponding adjustment. This adjustment was necessary inorder to maintain constant the flow of material into the crusher.

Sudden vertical displacements of the main shafts in prior art gyratoryCrushers, due to tramp material caught between the jaws, causedcorresponding vertical displacement of the material distributing means.This of course resulted in uneven and jerky feed distribution.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate the enumeratedundesirable results characteristic of prior art gyratory crushers.

Objects and advantages other than those above set forth will be apparentfrom the following description when read with the accompanying drawing,in which:

- Fig. l is a vertical cross sectional view of the upper portion of agyratory crusher embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of another embodiment of theinvention.

As shown in Fig. 1, the material crushing machine or gyratory crushercomprises a top frame 4to which is secured the rim l5 of a spider 6. Thespider 6 has arms which extend radially inward and upward from the rim 5and terminate in a bearing housing 1 concentrically positioned above acrushing chamber II, which chamber is defined by an inner crusher memberor movable jaw 9 and an outer crusher member or stationary jaw Il); Agyratable shaft I 2 is fulcrumed in a suitable bearing such as a balland socket type bearing, I4, I5s carried in the housing 1 and retainedtherein by a clamp ring I6 bolted to the bearing housing and the upperend of the bearing socket. The combination of rim 5, spider 6, bearinghousing 1, and bearing 8 Claims. (Cl. 241--202) I4, I5 may be consideredas a supporting struc-.-

ture for a material distributing means to be described hereinafter. I

Adjacent to the lower end of the bearing socke I5, and held between thebearing housing 1 and a bearing portion of the gyratable shaft I2, is

an oil seal I1 and a retainer I9, for preventingthe escape oflubricating oil, and for preventingy the entry of dust to the bearings.

The shaft I2 is gyrated at its lower end (not shown) by any suitableeccentric meansV and is supported to permit axial and rotary motion ofwhich concentrically supports the wobble plate.

The opposite end of the cylindrical member 2I slidably coacts with thefulcrumed end of the gyratable shaft I2 to impart an oscillating orwobble motion to the wobble plate 26. The con. nection between thecylindrical member 2I and the shaft I2 may be termed telescopic. Thespider 6 through the bearing housing 'I axially supports the materialdistributing means, for example by providing a at annular surface 24 onthe bearing ball I4, for engaging in abutting re-y lationship the edge22 of the cylindrical member 2|. Since the' peripheral edge of thewobble plate 20 is subjected to considerable abrasivey action frommaterial flowing over it, a wearing ring 25 made of a relatively hardmaterial, suchl as manganese steel or other suitable material.

may be secured thereto to prevent excessive wear.A

A resilient apron 26 of rubber or other suitable material, joins thematerial distributing means with the bearing housing 1. 'I'he lower endof the apron 26 is provided with a surface 21 transverse to itslongitudinal axis, for engagement with a complementary surface on thebearing housing 1, and is fixed thereto by `bolts 28.

The opposite end of the apron 26 is formed with a surface 29 parallel tothe cylindrical member 2l, and may be either secured thereto byvulcanization, or in any other suitable way, or fitted snugly thereto ina slidable manner. A Protec# tive flange 30 extending radially outwardfrom the cylindrical member 2| is secured in any suitable manner, as bya weld 3|, directly above the cylinderapron vconnection to protect itfrom damage due to material which might otherwise impinge upon it.

A primary hopper 32 is secured to the spider rim 5 and extends upwardlyabove the level of the wobble plate 20. The upper edge of the primaryhopper 32 is provided with a ange 34 for receiving a cover plate 35secured thereon by any suitable means. An opening 36 is formed in thecoverV 35 directly abovethe wobble plate for receiving therethrough amaterial'feed device comprising a material conveying means such as avertically adjustable chute, designated generally by numeral 31, fromwhich material is fed to the wobble plate 2B.

The rate at which material is fed to the crushing chamber Il isdetermined? by themean'distance between the lower endof the adjustablechute 31 and the wobble plate 20. The ygreater the distance, the morematerial-.will fall onnthe wobble plate 20 per unit time of operation,and conversely, the shorter the distance, 1 the less material will fallupon the wobble plate per uniti-of operation.

'With aipredetermined setting of: the: adjustable chute 3T, and with theshaft 4l2.".in'-its lowest possibi@position,l as indicated :by the:upperf surface 39feof1the shaft, .the operation of theniaterialIdistributing vmeans is asifollows. As A:the Shaft gI2 gyrates, thefulcrumed end thereof, Whi'chfs'lidably engages the cylindrical .member2l, will impart a gyratoryor oscillatory-'motion tothefwobbleplate.

"In al structurewherein .the apron '2 is fixedly secured tothecylindrical -member 2l, the. apron will retain the material distributingmeans in .a nonrotative relationship with respect to the spider Spandat' thelsame time will preventupward axial displaeementvof the materialdistributing'means 202with respectV tothe spider@ Hence vthe rotationalmotion -of the gyratable shaft I2 about its own axis, vrand'the axialdisplacements ofthe shaft, :forexample` to its uppermost 1position=asindicated-by dotdash'lim-zl A0, are `not transmitted toitheimate'ria'lfdistributing'mean 20.

The hereinbefore mentioned alternative structure,- wherein the2apron'26is'merely-tted snugly about the cylindrical member2 l, will permitrotation of the material d-istributing meansLZ if the rotationalfrictionalfforce between the shaft 'I2 and VtheJv cylindrical 'member 2|becomes' great enou'ghto overcomev the inertia Vof the mass .ofmaterialresting on the wobble zplatey 20. `Irrsuch a structure theclearance betweentheT shaft `I12 andthe-cylindrical member!! issunicient Vto allowaxial displacement of the shaft without (xausingVVaxial displacement of the' materiali distributingfmeans. i Hence the:material will be distributed-uniformly to :the crushing chamber I I inaccor-dancerwith` thebbjects .of the invenion.

"FigffZ-shows another embodiment-.of the .invention inf which *likeelements aredesigna-ted by the= same reference characters as in Figi lwith the= addition yof the suffix t'11. In this instance-1a resilientmember such asl an` invertedlapron 24|, which lmaybe'A substantiallyYcylindrical .or ofY any otherfsuitable shape, joins the materialdistributing means :to a Abearing cap 42 carried-by the bearinghousing'la. VThe'lower end of the inverted apronlllis provided withatransverse .section 44 secured to a-corresponding flat surface vofthecapidzzlby boltsi45. TheY opposite end has a simiiaritransverse .section:16 -slidably held'to the underside of the wobble plate-20a adjacent toits periphery :bya lip portion 49 of .an annular :member-.41 `which issuitablysecured .to the 'wobble plate.

The operation of the embodimentof the'initfwill also be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that. theillustrated .embodiments of the inventionmaybe variously changed and modified, or

features thereof, singly or collectively, embodied vin:.o`ther-combinations than those illustrated, A'without' departing from thespirit of the invention, -or`V sacrificing' all of the advantagesthereof,,and. .that accordingly the disclosure herein is illustrativeonly, and the invention is not limited thereto.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

:1.Inf-.a:.material: crushing-r machine having v:a stationarycrushermember and a movablelcrusher member .defining therebetween a;crushing'chamber, thecombinationofxa spider carried by'said stationarycrusherimember, abearing universally swiveled 'in said spider .abovesaidcrushing-chamber, an` axially-movable"` and ,gyratable's shaft:slidably` 'journaledin saidabearing; a i-material feed device comprisingmeans'- adjustable towards and away' from said chamber for.. conveyingmaterial toward said-chamber, .ia-ndfmateri'al: .distributing meansloosely journaled on said shaftintelescopically -journaled 'relation zthereto vand in gyratable relation. therewith, ,said 'materialydistributing means `beingin supported and' substantially nonaxially:movablel relation to=saidf spider and: coacting with saidmaterialconveying: means toprovide an opening between .said .material conveyingr` means 2andisaid1rmatei'ial :distributing means having a substantiallyconstant "mean dimension measured-.f-.axially of:l said shaft, -saidopening providing for the substantial-lynniform distribution fofmaterial' through saidwopening to saidI chamber f :during :gyratoryI`and.' .axial movementofisaid shaft, said meanxraxialfdimension of saidopening being Vpredetermined'v bythe Aadjustmentabf said; material`vconveying fmeansA toward and laway from' said distributing means.

2. In a YAmaterialcrushingrmachinehaving a stationary -xcrusher 'memberand va I-movable Crusher member-cooperatively defining alcrushingachamber, :the :combination 'of` a supporting structure carriedby said stationary crusher memberfan axiallyeimova'bleand gyratableshaft slidablyjournaledsln said. supporting structure, a material feeddevice comprising"means-adjustable toward `andaway from 'said vchamberfor conveying materialto said machine; and material distributing '.meansvcarried by said Isupporting structure positioned above said chamber-arid below'sad material conveying means in substantially nonax-iallymovablel relation to said structure, .said distributing meansbeingloosely journaled onwandgyratablein response 'to gyratory movement ofsaid shaftsaid Imaterial'distributingxfmeans' eoactingwith said`material conveying `means to provide any opening therebetween having fasubstantially V.constant mean :dimension measured axiallyv of. .said`shaft, said opening providing.y for the substantiallyzuniformdistribution of material to '-sa-id f chamber during gyratory. -andaxial movement .of said shaft, said mean axial. dimension of saidopening being predetermined .by the v.adjustmentof' saidl materialconveying means toward and away from said ma' terial distributing means.f

3. In a material crushing machine having a stationary crusher member anda movable vcrusher member cooperatively defining a crushing chamber, thecombination of a spider carried by said stationary crusher member; abearing universally swiveled in said spiderabove said-crushing chamber;an axially-movable and gyratable shaft slidably journaled in saidbearing; a material feed device comprising means adjustable toward andaway from said chamber for conveying material to said machine; andymaterial distributing means loosely journaled on said shaft and axiallysupported in substantially nonaxially movable relation toV said spiderby said bearing below said material conveying means for gyration Withsaid shaft, said1 material distributing means coacting with A saidmaterial conveying means to provide an opening therebetween having asubstantially constant mean dimension measured axially of said shaft,said opening providing for the uniformA distribution of material to saidchamber during gyratory and axial movement of said shaft relative tosaid spider, said mean axial dimension of said opening beingpredetermined by the adjustment of said material conveying means towardand away from said distributing means.

4. In a material crushing machine having an inner crusher member and anouter crusher member cooperatively defining a crushing chamber; thecombination of a spider carried by said outer crusher member; a bearinguniversally swiveled in said spider above said crushing chamber; anaxially-movable and gyratable shaft slidably journaled in said bearing;a material feed device comprising means adjustable toward and away fromsaid chamber for conveying material to said machine; and materialdistributing means disposed beneath said material conveying means forgyration with said shaft, said material distributing means comprising asleeve portion loosely journaled on said shaft and axially supported insubstantially nonaxially movable relation to said spider by saidbearing, and a plate portion connected to said sleeve portion forreceiving material from said material conveying means for distributionto said chamber, said plate portion coacting with said materialconveying means to provide an opening therebetween having asubstantially constant mean dimension measured axially of said shaft,said opening providing for the uniform distribution of material to saidchamber during gyratory and axial movement of said shaft, said meandimension being predetermined by the adjustment of said materialconveying means toward and away from said distributing means.

5. In a material crushing machine having a stationary crusher member anda movable crusher member cooperatively defining a crushing chamber, thecombination of a spider carried by said stationary crusher member; abearing universally swiveled in said spider above said crushing chamber;an axially-movable and gyratable shaft slidably journaled in saidbearing; a material feed device comprising means adjustable toward andaway from said chamber for conveying material to said machine; materialdistributing means loosely journaled on said shaft and axially supportedin substantially nonaxially movable relation to said spider by saidbearing 4below said material conveying means for gyration with saidshaft, said material distributing means coacting 6i? with said materialconveying means to provide an opening therebetween having asubstantially constant mean dimension measured axially of said' shaft,said opening providing for the uniform distribution of material to saidchamber during'Y gyratory and axial movement of said shaft relative tosaid spider, said mean axial dimension of said opening beingpredetermined by the adjustment of said material conveying means towardand away from said distributing means; and seal ing means interposedbetween said spider and said material distributing means for shieldingand protecting said bearing. f

6. In a material crushing machine having an inner crusher member and anouter crusher member cooperatively deiining a crushing chamber, thecombination of a spider carried by said outer crusher member; a bearinguniversally swiveled in said spider abov'e'said crushing chamber; anaxially-movable and gyratable shaft slidablyjournaled in said bearing;amaterial feed device comprising means adjustable toward andaway fromsaid chamber for conveying material to said machine; and materialdistributing means disposed beneath said material conveying means forgyration with said shaft, said material distributing means comprising asleeve portion loosely journaled on said shaft and axially supported insubstantially nonaxially movable relation to said spider by said bearingand a plate portion connected to said sleeve portion for receivingmaterial from said material conveying means for distribution to saidchamber, said plate portion coacting with said material conveying meansto provide an opening therebetween having a substantially constant meandimension measured axially of said shaft, said opening providing for theuniform distribution of material to said chamber during gyratory andaxial movement of said shaft relative to said. spider, said meandimension being predetermined by the adjustment of said materialconveying means toward and away from said distributing means; and anannular resilient apron interconnecting said spider and said sleeve forsealing and protecting said bearing against the entrance of foreignmaterial thereinto.

7. In a material crushing machine having a stationary crusher member anda movable crusher member cooperatively defining a crush.. ing chamber,the combination of a spider carried by said stationary crusher member, abearing universally swiveled in said spider above said crushing chamber,an axially-movable and gyratable shaft slidably journaled in saidbearing, a material feed device comprising means adjustable toward andaway from said chamber for conveying material toward said chamber,material distributing means associated with said shaft in axiallyslidable relation thereto and in gyratable relation therewith, saidmaterial distributing means being in supported and substantiallynonaxially movable relation to said spider and coacting with saidmaterial conveying means to provide an opening therebetween having asubstantially constant mean dimension measured axially of said shaft,saidopening providing for the substantially uniform distribution ofmaterial through said opening to said chamber during gyratory and axialmovement of said shaft, said mean axial dimension of said opening beingpredetermined by the adjustment of said material conveying means towardand away from said distributing means, and resilient meansinterconnecting said spider and said material distributmgzmeans. for:sealing mndmrotectingf saidbearing.;tor:prerent the :entrance of fere'gnmaterial atherein, said ,resilient means l. cooperating withisa'd:spider infmaintaining: said 'materiali distributingfmeans supportedrelation thereto.

^-8.:In;.a material :crushing machine .hav-ingwa stationary eriishermember and amovable crusher :member cooperatively :defini-.ng sacrushing chambery thefeombination ofa supporting strncturelcarried bysaidfstationary .cr-usher member, anzaxially.-movableandy gyratableshaft slidably journaled innsaidsupporting structure-a material feeddevice comprising means adustableftoward- :away' from saidv chamber for:conveying material to said, machine, material distributingmeans-.carried Joy-said v.supporting structure in substantiallyvvnonaxiallyv movable .relation to 1said structure lpositioned above'-said -`v.chamber and bel0wf..sad. material `eonveyingmeans `-andgyratalb1ein-- response to ,gyratory I movement of 'saidshaftssaidmaterial distributing. means eoaeting withssaid .materialconveying means tor-'provide an. `.opening .therebetween .havingY a.substantially constantzmean dimension measured axially vof said fshaftfor the luniform distribution of.V material: to saida-chamber-.during.;gyratory :and ,axial movement of saidshaft,'-.sa-id-.mean.axial dimension .osaid opening :loeinpredeternnedby the adjustment iof said material conveying .means toward-and awayfrom said material distributing meansandsealing means interposed`beim/een said lsupporting meansand said .material,distributingfmeanslfor shielding and .protecting said bearing.

,ALEXANDER J. ROUBAL.

eferenees'- Cited. nin.1,lae11le of this :patent -UNITEDSTATES PA'IENTSNumber Name Date 464,463 McCl'i'lly `Dec.` 1, i 1891 '761,240 SmithJune'3,'1930 2,134,885 Newhouse Nov; 1, 1938 "2,291,122 "Van Saun .July28, 1942' 235095920 'Gruender ;May .30, 1950 :FOREIGN PATENTS Number`Country Date 599,283 `GreatBritain Ma1'.`9, 1948

